The dispute over the legitimacy of the Nepali Congress leadership has returned to the Supreme Court, with the party’s former acting president Purna Bahadur Khadka and other leaders seeking a review of a verdict that upheld the Election Commission’s recognition of the faction led by Gagan Kumar Thapa.

The review petition, filed on Wednesday by the faction aligned with former party president Sher Bahadur Deuba as the party prepares for its general convention, marks the second time the leadership dispute has reached the country’s highest court.

Arjun Koirala, spokesperson for the Supreme Court, said the petition was registered after a preliminary review. He said the date for a hearing has yet to be fixed.

On April 17, the apex court upheld the election body’s decision recognising the Thapa-led facton as the party’s legitimate leadership. The Deuba faction argues that the ruling contains legal errors and has asked the court to review it.

The petition will now be considered by a three-member bench, which will first decide whether the case warrants a review. If the bench allows, the case will proceed to a full hearing. If not, the April verdict will stand.

In its earlier ruling, a division bench of Justices Sharanga Subedi and Nripdhwoj Niraula found the Election Commission’s decision to be lawful. The verdict affirmed the legitimacy of the working committee elected through that convention and validated all decisions taken by it.

The current working committee, headed by Thapa, was elected at the party’s special general convention in January. After the Commission formally recognised the new leadership, the Deuba faction challenged the decision in the Supreme Court.

On January 20, a single bench of Justice Sunil Kumar Pokharel refused to issue an interim order suspending the Commission’s decision. Instead, the court directed the Election Commission and other respondents to submit written responses, allowing the Thapa-led committee to continue functioning while the case was sub-judice.